Robinson? For real? The admiral was a great player but 'Keem the dream was head and shoulders better.

Also magic never started at center except that one legendary playoff game. You might be confusing him with Ervin Johnson but Earvin "magic" Johnson was always a pg/forward and started at point his rookie year.

the admiral was a beast and i would take him over the dream.

re-reading my post, we are misunderstanding each other as i used bad grammar. didn't mean to have it read as he started center the entire year. just in his first year, when he started at center for the lakers. it was amazing that a rookie could do that in the finals. compare that with our talk of whether bigV will be starting come opening night. (but magic had proved he could play during the course of the season)

Robinson? For real? The admiral was a great player but 'Keem the dream was head and shoulders better.

Also magic never started at center except that one legendary playoff game. You might be confusing him with Ervin Johnson but Earvin "magic" Johnson was always a pg/forward and started at point his rookie year.

re-reading my post, we are misunderstanding each other as i used bad grammar. didn't mean to have it read as he started center the entire year. just in his first year, when he started at center for the lakers. it was amazing that a rookie could do that in the finals. compare that with our talk of whether bigV will be starting come opening night. (but magic had proved he could play during the course of the season)

LOL, I get it! Was like WTF? at first.

Magic earned that nickname, and not just for his reported prowess in the sack. Dude was incredible, makes me wish I'd been born 5 years earlier just to have been able to better appreciate what my 10 year old self took for granted.

As for DRob, I'm just not that big a fan. I really feel that he was Pippen to Timmys Jordan. That's not a slight because I think Pip is one of the best ever but he just couldn't carry Dreams jock IMO. Dream had so many moves in the post and out to mid, was crafty, athletic and extremely skilled. Dream was the best player in both championship years (and indeed through most of his career) and schooled Shaq like nobodies business. David wasnn't at that level at any point in his career. Like I said though, just was never a huge fan of Robinsons game.

Since this has forwarded towards who I would want as a starting centre, I look at a loyal, team first player with all the on-court qualities a great big man should have.

Wilt is out of the picture, for he's been said to be a Prima Donna, Shaq is out as well. Just my opinions.

It's really hard to choose in any case, only being 16, I've watched only a handful games, which makes it hard for me to choose without seeing the full extent of the individual.

From what I have seen, and read, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is probably my guy. Unguardable. Post-game is beyond many, unique individual. I mean, you've got some of today's best trying to get better at their post game with being mentored by "The Dream," it says something about one's individual skill and craft.

Like I said, I haven't seen much of Wilt, Russell, Robinson, Olajuwon, even Shaq in his prime for that matter! Just going by what I know and HAVE seen.

You could do worse than "The Dream." That's for sure. Would have loved to see Sabonis in the NBA in his prime. Growing up, Russell was always my favourite player and he certainly frustrated Chamberlain whenever Wilt played the Celtics. But just watching you could see that Wilt had more physical gifts than Bill. And Bill always had a much better team around him. And better coaching.

7 years and 121 million in shaqs prime seems like the best way to go for me. i would take him over any other center in their prime.

i know what you mean reuben but greatest nba player ever is pretty much a one trick pony of a thread. i don't think anyone has a sane reason why it wouldn't be jordan and then all of us agreeing. skipping sg i will add the players i think best at each position

I remember an interview with Wilt in the 80's when he answered that while he thought he was best player, he would pick Bill Russell ahead of himself if building a team. Wilt's rationale was that every player brings some positive, neutral, and negative elements to a team. Except for Bill Russell. Wilt was adamant that Russell brought no negatives and would have been the best starting block any franchise could desire.

It's funny too that when Bill Russell was asked which PG he would pick if I had to start a new franchise, he chose John Stockton over Magic, Isiah, and others while Stockton was still a relative unknown. His rationale was that Stockton did not bring any negatives.

Was Michael Jordan the best player ever? I am not even sure he was better than Shaq before Shaq turned into a clown. Michael Jordan was the best marketed player, that's for sure, and a player worthy of consideration when discussing the best five players of all time.

I remember an interview with Wilt in the 80's when he answered that while he thought he was best player, he would pick Bill Russell ahead of himself if building a team. Wilt's rationale was that every player brings some positive, neutral, and negative elements to a team. Except for Bill Russell. Wilt was adamant that Russell brought no negatives and would have been the best starting block any franchise could desire.

It's funny too that when Bill Russell was asked which PG he would pick if I had to start a new franchise, he chose John Stockton over Magic, Isiah, and others while Stockton was still a relative unknown. His rationale was that Stockton did not bring any negatives.

Was Michael Jordan the best player ever? I am not even sure he was better than Shaq before Shaq turned into a clown. Michael Jordan was the best marketed player, that's for sure, and a player worthy of consideration when discussing the best five players of all time.

doesn't need to be argued. lets make it a hypothetical...you have the first pick of the all nba draft, every single player to ever play in the nba is there. who would you choose? anyone here not taking jordan first overall?

Jordan was much better than Shaq, he could score from anywhere and rose to every challenge and was playing, at both ends, against much superior competition night in and night out than Shaq ever did. Shaq was probably the most physically gifted and dominant player at his position but Jordan Was on a whole other level. Even Shaq would say that. Plus he was so much more versatile and could hit FTs.

Top starting 5 and their back ups (in their prime and only guys I watched from 87 onwards)

doesn't need to be argued. lets make it a hypothetical...you have the first pick of the all nba draft, every single player to ever play in the nba is there. who would you choose? anyone here not taking jordan first overall?

. I can't believe how many people in this thread are saying Jordan isn't the greatest ever. No one could ever dominate the game like him. He had the most well rounded game ever. I don't think centers could be considered to be the greatest ever because their matchups are usually of a lower skillset than other positions.

. I can't believe how many people in this thread are saying Jordan isn't the greatest ever. No one could ever dominate the game like him. He had the most well rounded game ever. I don't think centers could be considered to be the greatest ever because their matchups are usually of a lower skillset than other positions. Sure players like shaq and wilt need to be mentioned among the greatest even top 10 but not 1st

Wilt averaged 50 pt's a game one season. He had 14 triple doubles in a row, one season. They changed the rules of the game, so that he wouldn't totally dominate every game he played in.

"...He also won 7 scoring, 9 field goal percentage, and 11 rebounding titles in addition to an assist title."

He had his jersey number retired by three different NBA franchises, the Warriors, the Lakers and the 76'ers.

"Chamberlain holds 71 NBA records, 62 by himself. Among his records are several that are considered unbreakable, such as averaging 22.9 rebounds for a career or 50.4 points per game in a season, scoring 100 points or 55 rebounds in a single game, scoring 65 or more points 15 times, 50 or more points 118 times. During Chamberlain's time, defensive statistics like blocks and steals had not been recorded yet. However, according to Jack Ramsay, "Harvey said he used to tell one of his statisticians to keep track of Wilt's blocks in big games...One night, they got up to 25".

Not saying Jordan wasn't the greatest ever, just saying it's not an open and shut case.

He had a presence around him. Whenever I watched a throwback game, my eye was always focused on MJ23. Always. I've watched a good number of throwback games to be able to take a crack on here.

He had some sort of, attention grabbing characteristic about him. MJ was one of the best perimeter defenders, a great scorer, was a great leader, built confidence in his teammates. He had EVERYTHING. Athletically he was supreme. Not to mention, arguably the greatest clutch player of all time. If not, he's top 3 with Kobe and Reggie.

The post game, the mid-ranged game, the penetration, the fancy dunks, the speed, strength, defense, etc, etc, etc.... There wasn't something he didn't have. You could say he wasn't a great outside shooter, but you knew you couldn't leave him open.

I mean, you don't earn the title of "Greatest Of All Time" for no reason..